Knife and knife support

ABSTRACT

A KNIFE AND KNIFE SUPPORT ARE PROVIDED WITH PIN AND CUTOUT MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE KNIFE TO THE SUPPORT IN A MANNER PRECLUDING INADVERTENT DISENGAGEMENT OF THE KNIFE. PREFERABLY, THE SUPPORT IS PROVIDED WITH A RETAINING PIN INCLUDING A SHANK AND A BROAD HEAD, AND A POSITIONING PIN INCLUDING ONLY A SHANK. THE KNIFE INCLUDES A KEYHOLE-SHAPED CUTOUT DIMENSIONED TO BE SECURED UPON THE RETAINING PIN AND A POSITIONING CUTOUT LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO THE KEYHOLE-SHAPED CUTOUT SO THAT THE RETAINING PIN CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE KEYHOLE CUT OUT ONLY WHEN THE POSITIONING PIN IS FIRST DISENGAGED FROM THE POSITIONING CUTOUT.

March 16, 1971 J. s. HAHN KNIFE AND KNIFE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 19, 1968 FIG./

INVENTOR. JEROME S.HAHN

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Omce 3,570,125 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 3,570,125 KNIFE AND KNIFE SUPPORT Jerome S. Hahn, Glen Head, N.Y., assignor to Regent Sheffield, Ltd., Farmingdale, NY. Filed Nov. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 777,127

Int. Cl. B26b 3/00 US. 'Cl. 30-25% 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A knife and knife support are provided with pin and cutout means for releasably securing the knife to the support in a manner precluding inadvertent disengagement of the knife. Preferably, the support is provided with a retaining pin including a shank and a broad head, and a positioning pin including only a shank. The knife includes a keyhole-shaped cutout dimensioned to be secured upon the retaining pin and a positioning cutout located with respect to the keyhole-shaped cutout so that the retaining pin can be removed from the keyhole cut out only when the positioning pin is first disengaged from the positioning cutout.

This invention relates generally to cutlery and more specifically to a knife and knife support constructed to assure safe and convenient knife storage.

To be most useful a knife should be kept readily available, yet stored in a manner assuring reasonable safety. In a typical kitchen one or more knives are usually stored on or near a cutting board, frequently with the blades thereof in an exposed position. For example, prior knife storage arrangements may include racks where several knives are supported in parallel relation by thin retaining members or may comprise hooks adapted to engage a knife handle. Clearly, knives stored in this manner present several dangers.

First, if the knife is hung in an elevated position it may come loose from its support, fall and cause severe injuries. Even if the knife is stored on a table or cutting board it may inadvertently drop and injure the user. Second, if the knife is hung by its handle, as is common practice, it is difficult to remove the knife from its storage place without handling the knife blade. The danger in this storage approach is apparent.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a knife blade and knife support which cooperate to permit safe storage of a knife in a secure and convenient position relative to a Work area. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an arrangement wherein a knife can be safely stored and removed from storage without handling the knife blade.

In accomplishing these and other objects in accordance with an illustrtive embodiment demonstrating features of the present invention a knife blade and knife support are provided with cooperating means for releasably mounting the knife in a manner precluding inadvertent disengagement of the knife from the support. The knife support preferably includes two pins in a prescribed spacing relative to one another, with the knife blade being formed with two cutouts aligned to receive the pins. The first or retaining pin includes a shank and a broad head. The corresponding first cutout in the knife blade includes an enlarged opening dimensioned to receive the head of the first pin and a narrow section dimensioned to engage the shank portion of the first pin but to preclude passage of the board head. The second or positioning pin preferably comprises a plain cylindrical shank. The corresponding second cutout is dimensioned to accommodate the second pin and is positioned relative to the first cutout so as to be engageable upon the second pin only when the shank of the first pin is engaged within the narrow section of the first cutout. The first pin then cannot be disengaged from its cutout until the knife is swung to a position where the second pin is removed from the second cutout. In order to remove the knife from the support, the knife is swung away from the support until the second pin is free of the second cutout. The knife is then moved parallel to the support until the large opening of the first cut out is aligned with the head of the first pin, at which point the knife is free to be removed from the support.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of several illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a knife mounted on a knife support, both constructed in accordance with the invent on;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned vie-w along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a first cutout in a knife blade in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cutout in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cutout in accordance with a third alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a knife 10 and a knife support 12 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Knife 10 is a large size carving knife of the type that would usually be used in a kitchen. Such a knife must be stored adjacent to an appropriate work area in such a manner as to be easily accessible. At the same time the knife must be securely fastened to its mounting so as to insure that it does not inadvertently become disengaged and cause injury to the user. It is also desirable that the user not have to handle the blade portion 14 of the knife in order to dislodge it from its mounting.

To this end, knife support 12 which may form part of a horizontal cutting board or a vertical knife rack, includes a routed out portion 30 positioned to receive the knife handle 16, and two pins 22 and 24 arranged to cooperate with knife blade 14 so as to engage and secure knife 10 in the following manner:

Knife blade 14 includes two cutouts 18 and 20 spaced relative to each other so as to align with pins 22 and 24. Pin 22 includes an outwardly extending shank 26 and a broad head 28. Cutout 18 includes an enlarged opening 18a sufficient to receive the broad head 28 of pin 22 and a relating narrow slot portion 18b dimensioned to accommodate the shank 26 but not to accept broad head 28. With shank 26 positioned within slot 18b blade 14 is prevented from moving away from support 12. Pin 24 is located a selected distance from pin 22 so that when shank 26 is located within the slot 18b, cutout 20 will be aligned with pin 24. Pin 24 is then engaged Within cutout so as to prevent blade 14 from sliding with respect to support 12. Pin 22 can thus not be removed from cutout 18 until the knife is swung away from support 12 so that pin 24 becomes removed from cutout 20. When pin 24 is removed from cutout .20, the blade can be moved until the broad opening 18a is aligned with head 28 at which time the knife can be easily removed from the support.

Safety is insured by the fact that three distinct motions are required to remove knife 10 from support 12. First, the knife handle 16 must swing away slightly from support 12 so that pin 24 disengages aperture 20. The knife must then be moved slightly forward toward the knife point until the enlarged opening 181: is aligned with the broad head 28 of pin 22. The knife is then free and may be moved away from support 12. All these movements can be easily accomplished by grasping only handle 16 and without coming in contact with blade 14 so that the possibility of injury is avoided. The three motions required to remove the knife are easily accomplished and very nearly coincide with normal movements which would be employed to pick the knife up.

To return the knife to the support, the enlarged opening 18a is fitted over the projection 22 and the knife is permitted to descend slightly until shank 26 becomes engaged with slot 18b. The handle 16 is then permitted to move toward the support 12 until aperture 20 becomes fitted over projection 24.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, apperture 18 may be in the form of a keyhole slot including an enlarged opening 18a and a slot portion 1% as heretofore described. In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, aperture 18 may assume numerous other shapes. Three such alternatives are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that the reduction between the broad section 18a in FIG. 1 and the narrow section 18b is more pronounced than between the corresponding broad sections 32a and 34a and the corresponding narrow sectins 32b and 34b of FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively.

The configuration shown in FIG. 5 is slightly different. As in the other arrangements, it includes a broad section 36a and a narrow section 36b, however there is a slight bend between these sections requiring that a slight twisting motion be imparted to the knife in order to remove it from the support. This provides additional safety with very minor additional inconvenience.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are merely examples of the application of the principles of the invention. Other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while pins 22 and 24 have been shown as separate elements in support 12 it is to be understood that the support and pins may be formed as a single piece of molded plastic. Additionally, while two pins and cutout combinations have been shown, it is to be understood that a single pin 22 and a single cutout 18 may be employed.

What is claimed is:

1. A knife and kinife support including cooperating means for releasably securing said knife to said support in a manner precluding inadvertent disengagement of said knife from said support, said cooperating means comprising a knife blade formed with at least one retaining cutout including an enlarged opening terminating in the narrow section, said narrow section extending outwardly from said broad opening in a direction away from the handle of said knife, and a support base including at least one retaining pin, said retaining pin including a shank and a relatively broad head dimensioned to be extensible through said enlarged opening and to be retained by said narrow section so as to preclude unintentional disengagement of said knife from said knife support.

2. A knife and knife support having cooperating means for securing said knife to said support comprising a retaining cutout in the blade of said knife having an enlarged section terminating in a narrow section and a broad headed retaining pin on said support, said knife blade having at least one additional cutout spaced a selected distance from said retaining cutout and said support base including at least one additional pin spaced a selected distance from said retaining pin so that when said additional pin is engaged within said additional cutout said retaining pin is retained within said slotted section such that said retaining pin cannot be disengaged from said retaining cutout unless said knife is swung to a position wherein said additional pin is removed from said additional cutout.

3. A knife and knife support as defined in claim 1 wherein said knife support comprises a cutting board including a cut away portion adapted to receive the handle of said knife, engagement of said handle with the edge of said cut away portion preventing disengagement of said knife from said retaining =pin until said knife handle is removed from said cut away portion.

4. The combination with a knife and a knife support of cooperating means on said knife and knife support for releasably mounting said knife on said knife support in a manner precluding inadvertent disengagement of said knife from said knife support, said cooperating means including two pins on said knife support in a prescribed spacing relative to each other, said knife being formed with two cutouts adapted to respectively receive said pins, one of said cutouts being of a generally keyhole configuration and including a slot section terminating in an enlarged opening, the corresponding pin including a head which is extensible through said enlarged opening and a shank which is receivable within said slot section, said corresponding pin when received within said slot section precluding disengagement of said knife from said knife support, said keyhole-shaped cutout being spaced from the other cutout such that the other pin is engageble in the other cutout only when said shank is received within said slotted section such that said corresponding pin can not be disengaged from its cutout until said knife is swung to a position wherein said other pin is removed from said other cutout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 188,590 3/1 877 Coates 30-233 898,568 9/1908 Emmerson 30--169X 1,248,320 11/1917 Hamilton 248-223UX 1,997,953 4/1935 Van Derkuy 30--351UX 2,692,689 10/1954 Wynne, Sr. 248223X GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, IR., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 211-; 248--224 

